Glitch
by The Past Is Nevermore
Summary: He was a glitch. And that made him dangerous. M (18 and older) for language, violence, lemon and other mature themes. ZaGR (ZimXGaz), future hinted DaTR (DibXTak)
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first new fanfic in almost four years. Wow. It's been a long time since I did anything other than original writing, but I thought it was time. :) I'm excited, and if you all don't mind, leave me a review! I'd like a little feed back, ya know? I'll also take this time to say I will not be continuing my old ZaGR fanfic, "My First Kiss." It is discontinued, and actually some elements of it are being taken and used in the new fic. Think of this as the more mature, "well thought-out" version. _

_Enjoy!~M_

* * *

The sun burned down bright, warming the spring air. Zim leaned against the wall of the school, watching from the shadows as students joked and rushed to their cars. A young couple was sitting on one of the benches in the courtyard, cooing and rubbing their noses together. The invader sneered and hissed at them, then turned to go further into the shadows. The love rituals of teenage humans sickened him, but they confused him even more. What was the meaning of these soft touches and quiet words? In the society of his people, it was all about dominance; any sign of compassion made you weak, and an unworthy mate, in the rare instances Irkens did mate. But in human society, it seemed that the more compassionate you were, the more mates you attracted. Even in their human language class, they had read a tale of two young humans ending their own lives, simply to be together.

All of this seemed ridiculous to Zim. There was, however, one gesture humans used to symbolize who their mate was that fascinated the invader.

Kissing.

It seemed so simple, yet since entering Hi Skool Zim had witnessed many different versions of the technique. Some were merely lips brushing together, while others were all out wars of lips, tongues, and teeth. As disgusting as the latter was, he was enthralled by it. When he had learned the term "make out" was used to describe the act, he had had his computer quickly research what the "making out" entailed. Somewhere along the way, Zim had ended up stumbling into the realm of human courting and mating techniques, even demonstrations of how to please females. He'd realized quickly that human and Irken reproductive habits were not dissimilar, nor were their anatomies, but that the reasoning behind them was different. Irkens mated only to produce offspring; humans did so simply "for the hell of it," as the expression went. Pleasure, pain, bonding, and the making of young were all reasons humans explored the realms of courtship.

Even with all he learned, however, there was no way Zim would ever get the chance to try these human rituals himself. He had learned quickly that humans' bodies were full of water, and most substances they secreted also contained water. He and water had never been great friends, and Zim had been scared off by this fact to dare try sticking any part of his body in a human. There was also the fact that, even though he had grown over the years, and improved his disguise to blend in much better, his personality was off putting to human females. In the time since he had resigned himself to the harsh reality that was his false mission to concur Earth, he had become dark humored, unfriendly, and rather rude to those who bothered him. He was prone to avoiding conversation, even though his vocabulary had improved immensely, and despised being touched. In the locker rooms of the Hi Skool, it was an unspoken rule to stay away from Zim, who always chose a locker in the far corner away from the showers and others. The only human who still constantly annoyed him was the Dib thing, but after six Earth years, he had grown accustom to this. Usually, the Dib things bizarre younger sibling, little Gaz, would drag him away, or snarl something that would make her brother quickly follow after her. As he walked, Zim's thought drifted to the girl, her sheer intellect and prowess. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to her presence, even if she were little more than a dark raincloud that rained on the Dib thing's parade.

_Speak of the devil and she shall appear, _Zim thought, as turned a corner and saw the girl lounging on a stairwell.

Her looks were much the same; angled, amber eyes trained to the screen of her minicomputer, burgundy hair falling down around her face, framing it perfectly, to her shoulders. Her body was (barely) concealed by a black, tattered looking minidress and leggings, with her standard combat boots, fingerless gloves and skull necklace to top it off. Gaz's pale pink lips sat in a small frown of concentration, like cherry blossoms on porcelain. Zim was sure he was staring, although he was unsure of the reasoning behind it. He put an arm up against the wall and stood watching her for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she realized she was not alone. Amber met false blue, and something stirred inside of Zim.

"What do you want, alien?"

_Ah, there's that harsh tone, _Zim sighed inwardly. "I wanted nothing, little Gaz," he replied. "I am merely observing."

The girl harrumphed and returned to her game. As Zim had spoken the old nickname, he had realized how very untrue it was. Over the years, Zim had learned enough about humans to know the most distinguishable traits that differentiated males from females, largely due to how much they talked about them. He was aware that, among females, Gaz was well endowed in some of these traits, and his eyes travelled down to look at the prominent pair. Female Irkens possessed no breasts, at least not like those of humans. Theirs were small and only for the practicality of feeding young Smeets. Humans used them to feed young and attract males, and at the current moment, Zim's attention was fairly attracted to them. So much so that he did not notice the arrival of his greatest nuisance.

"GAZ! It's time to go!" Dib shouted from not far behind Zim, making both the girl and alien jump.

Gaz grumbled and placed her Game Slave in her large bag, while Zim turned to glare at the spike haired boy. He was now preoccupied making face at the young couple Zim had been observing, who had begun making out in full view of the campus.

"Jeez, talk about needing a room. Am I right?" he was addressing his sister, but Zim nodded in agreement, earning him a glare.

"Please, Dib, you're just mad you aren't getting any." Gaz's drawl came from just beside the alien. He glanced at her and her close proximity. At least now he had the pleasure of being a few inches taller than her instead of the same height.

Dib sputtered and blushed in outrage, only to turn and yell, "Just get to the car!" and storm away, making people stare. Zim closed his eyes and shook his head lightly. Some things never changed.

His eyes opened when he felt someone pass right against him, and a hand rub lightly against a sensitive area.

"See you 'round, Zim." Gaz chimed, as she stalked away. Zim kept staring as she went, watching the way her hips swayed and her skirt moved over her round buttocks. He knew from prior observation her breasts were bouncing in time with each step, as they did every time she moved. Many males stared at her, but her glares always drove them off. Had he imagined that she had just been so close? Or was it real? And if so, had she meant to place her hand there, or was it simply an accident. His inner questions were silenced when she looked back and smirked at him.

As usual, Gaz was well aware of what she was doing.


	2. Chapter 2

_I'm honestly surprised how quickly this chapter came to me and how long it is.. Of course, that probably means it isn't my best writing. Oh well, I'm just doing this for fun. As a disclaimer, this is all just my own twisted imagination taking hold of Jhonen's amazing characters. They aren't mine._

_Enjoy~M_

* * *

Gaz stared sullenly out the window of her brother's car. After three minutes of his insistent pestering- "Why were you back there with Zim? What were you doing? Why'd you walk so close to him?"- She'd promptly put her earphones in and started blasting Volbeat. The Lonesome Rider was perfect for the quick drive, and as soon as her brother pulled into their driveway, she swiftly opened the door and ran inside. By the time Dib had entered, calling after her, she'd slammed and locked her bedroom door. She stood for a moment, back against the door, breathing hard. Her brother called her name a couple more times, muttered something, and exited the back door. Moving to her window, she could see him enter the shed where his "base" was located. "He'll be in there all night, observing or hunting something another," she muttered to herself, eyes narrowed.

She pulled the thick black and purple drapes closed and hooked her MP3 up to her sound system. _Lola Montez _began playing loudly as she unceremoniously stripped out of her clothing and entered her bathroom.

_Feel the fire where she walks, Lola Montez, so beautiful! Shady and a tempered dame, blinding your eyes with her spider dance…_

Gaz turned her shower on, and stepped under the hot stream. She sighed softly, massaging her apple scented shampoo slowly into her hair. Suds ran slowly down her chest, over her breasts, and continued down her stomach. Humming, she swayed her hips back and forth. It was her favorite song, after all.

_Where ever she walks she will be captivating all the men. Don't look in her eyes! You might fall and find the love of your life…_

Hi Skool and puberty had done wonders for Gaz. After years of just being "Dib's scary little sister," she became "Dib's sexy, scary little sister." While other girls struggled with making their hair perfect and getting the perfect shade of golden brown skin, Gaz stayed herself; pale, cold, and unfriendly. She'd rose to be captain of the speech and debate team, president of the literary club, and a fencing star. as well as the top student in her class. The biggest struggle she'd had was having to buy a new bra every month while she grew. She'd grown accustomed to all the guys' stares and whispers and gestures of kindness.

They all made her sick.

A glare sent them running. But a wiggle of her hips, jiggle of her breasts, and they all came running back. It was a game, and a cruel one. But cruelty had always been her specialty.

_Heavenly! But she'll catch you in her web. _

There was one who's attention she couldn't seem to keep, though. Sure, she caught him looking from time to time, but all her efforts had been for naught.

_Oh Lola, I'm sure that true love would've been the key to all your pain…_

"Zim," she half moaned his name. The alien had plagued her for a long time. Sure, he was a bumbling idiot who never had a prayer of conquering Earth. But, when he actually calmed down enough to think, he was actually rather brilliant. When he had begun to realize his Almighty Tallest had no intentions of taking him seriously and focused more on learning and blending into human society, he'd… changed. Something about him had become darker, more focused, calmer… A stark amount similar to herself.

She lathered her body with soap, rubbing slow sensual circles all over her body. _It's not like he's half bad looking, either… _she thought leisurely. She wasn't thinking of his disguise, either. He was foreign, different. And, from the one sneak peak she had gotten in gym, he was fairly toned with muscle. Not overly toned, but lean, with long, strong limbs. His green skin wasn't completely off putting. And those ruby red eyes were fascinating, almost hypnotizing. She'd realized his most frightening feature, however, were his teeth and claws. Over time, his teeth had begun to look less zipper like (she believed he'd been filing them into a more human shape), but with long canines, and sharper points. His grins were wicked, almost predatory. And the claws he had hidden under his gloves! They were not like human nails; they were naturally black, and looked very much like an animal's. The thought of what those claws could do to someone's neck and skin…. Or her thighs and skin…. Gaz swallowed hard, as she stopped lathering her body and slipped her hands down below her bellybutton. She'd been doing this a lot of late. Her mind would start wandering to those teeth and claws devastating her body, and she'd be stuck doing whatever she could to relieve the tension.

Finally, she had worked up the resolve to make something happen. The tension when she was around him was unbearable, and now that he had started looking at her, she took it as her chance. Today after Skool had been the test. Gaz had dipped her toe in the water, and the water was warm, if not hot. And, after hours of racking her brain, she did have to confirm he had the right equipment for the job. How awkward to get into bed and him have something… other.

_The words will never come. Did the spider bite your tongue?_

She'd win this fight, just like everyone she had had before. She'd been built for fighting since she was created. Gaz stepped lightly out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towl. If she didn't win, she'd still get her way. She wasn't above dominating to get what she wanted, and in worst case scenario, begging.

_We will surely not forget, we will surely not forget! The Lola spider dance!_

She slipped into her piggy pajamas and plopped down onto her bed, pulling out her literary analysis work. Her thoughts of Zim would have to wait for later; Stephen King and his girl drenched in pig's blood were calling her name.

_The love of your life, yeah!_

* * *

It was dark, but thousands of eyes gleamed, anxiety and curiosity crackling through the air. A single light flashed on, and a lone female Irken stood, head bowed on the stage. Whispers travelled amongst those in the crowd, some wide eyed with surprise, others narrowed with suspicion. The female Irken shifted her weight, violet eyes straining to see those surrounding her. Another light turned on, blinding those gathered, and a loud voice started.

"We stand here to pass judgment upon this fallen Irken invader!" Purple trumpeted. "She abandoned her mission to seek selfish goals, and thus endangered those around her! Now, she must answer for her crimes… WITH HER LIFE!"

The crowd roared approval, with only a few remaining silent. They continued, until Red raised his hands high.

"_Unless…_" he slowly lowered his arms as the audience grew quiet. "Unless, she wishes to redeem herself."

The female Irken's eyes widen and she looked up, staring at her rulers.

Red began to move from their podium, beginning his speech. "For too long, the Irken Empire has been burdened by destruction and chaos. So many failed missions…. So many lost lives." Through the chamber, a quiet rumble of agreement passed. "We, your Almighty Tallest, have been too kind, too long to this scourge, this menace, this… _glitch_, in the well working machine of our empire."

Red started slowly down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to look up at the Irkens gathered, a dark look in his crimson eyes.

"We thought sending this abomination to a far planet would be enough. However, we can no longer with good conscience ignore the blood on his hands. It is time to remove this glitch!" The crowd roared approval, murderous shouts arising.

Red approached the female Irken carefully, then grabbed her chin, pulling her face up to look in her eyes. "You yourself should be dead for what you did. However…" he rubbed his thumb over her lip, "we will give you a second chance. Complete this mission, and all shall be forgiven." He leaned closer so only she could hear. "And you will get your revenge on the one who stole everything from you." Stepping back, he spread his arms, as if to hug her. "Will you rid the Irken Empire of Zim once and for all, Tak?"

She stood in shock for a moment. Then, a wicked grin spread across her face. "Anything for you, my Tallest," Tak purred, bowing down on her knees.

The chamber erupted in applause and cheering. Only Skoodge remained silent, stunned as he watched Tak be escorted away to prepare for her "mission."

_Oh Zim… Have you any idea the death you have just been doomed to?_


	3. Chapter 3

_This is a much longer chapter, and took quite awhile longer to write. I started it, then completely scrapped the first draft. This chapter is also the start of why this fic has a mature rating. I warned you. ~M_

* * *

_Darkness filled the room, and moans echoed through it. He watched as she squirmed under his touch, struggling against her bonds. He slowly dug his claws into her thighs, piercing her soft flesh. She cried out, arching her back. "Ah, my Tallest…!" Grinning wickedly, he leaned forward, running his tongue over her neck, feeling the rapid pulse of his lover. _

_"You're mine now. No one else's. Only mine." _

_He sank his teeth into her neck, marking her. She screamed in ecstasy, panting as he ran his tongue over the wound. Her blood stung his tongue. "Anything for you, my Tallest," she breathed her reply. Half-lidded amber eyes looked up at him, full of adoration and lust. Her wine-colored hair was splayed out on the pillow; he could get drunk simply looking at her. _

_"That's a good girl… Gazlene."_

* * *

Zim woke with a start, chest heaving. He slowly blinked his large ruby eyes, registering his surroundings. He hissed softly as he realized he was in his chamber, alone, inside his base. _That had seemed so real, though_, he thought sullenly, absentmindedly running his claws in the empty space beside him. This was the third morning in a row he had awoken to find himself alone after a long night of unconscious fantasy. Each time the dream occurred, it became more vivid, as if he were truly able to feel her skin, smell her scent, taste her... The Irken shook his head. _This is not the time to dawdle on dreams! _he inwardly ranted at himself. Rolling to his feet, Zim headed to the closet. From inside, he withdrew a red t-shirt, pink turtleneck, and black jeans. After carefully sliding the clothing articles on, minding his PAK, he stepped into his boots, and reached for his leather gloves. Zim paused, staring at his long black claws. Claws that, in the realm of his mind, would dig into that porcelain skin, making her scream and squirm….

"BAH!" he exclaimed, quickly wiggling his hands into them. He had no time for such nonsensical thoughts; before he could even head out the door to Skool, there were the matters of his computer and GIR to deal with.

"WEEEEEEEE PIGGY!" Zim flinched as he stepped out of the elevator. GIR was dancing around the living room manically whilst watching a documentary on pigs of all sorts. Narrowing his eyes, the alien addressed his other problem child. "Computer! Keep GIR occupied while I am gone! Also, see what information you can hack from the Irken database." It had been months- maybe eight, or more?- since the last time Zim had seen or spoken to the Almighty Tallest. As such, he had taken to hacking the system as secretly as possible to see what was happening in the armada. It was not that he cared if they were successful or not; he was merely curious how far Impending Doom Two had gone and how well it had succeeded. Skoodge, last he had seen, was doing quite well, despite his small stature. The Irken grinned at this thought. Not so long ago, they had both been very short, two of the shortest Invaders there were. However, since spending so long on Earth, Zim had somehow managed to continue growing. He had been merely four feet eight inches tall when he had arrived so long ago; now, he stood an impressive five feet ten inches. He had chalked it up the difference in gravity and atmosphere, as Earth's atmosphere was much gentler in composition than Irk's and the gravity was lighter. Zim became so enraptured in his own thoughts, he almost missed his computer's snarky reply.

"The least you could do is say 'Please', ya know."

Zim growled. "I am still your master, computer. Even if I am no longer actively trying to conquer this planet, you will obey me!"

"You mean, after failing enough, you gave up."

On cue, GIR yelled, "OOOOOOOOOO!" further aggravating the Irken.

Pointing at one of the computer's security monitors, he yelled, "I have not failed! My greatest scheme simply has yet to be put into motion! You will obey! Now shut your face and respect your Master Zim!" With this he headed to the door, violently swinging it open. As he began to shut it behind him, he heard one last snark from the computer.

"Someone is in denial. And by the way, I don't have a face to shut."

During home period, Zim went to the library. His anger from earlier had cooled slightly, but not enough to prevent him from snapping at a few students who had made the mistake of pestering him. Over the years, he had found the Skool library to be a place of solace and quiet, as well as an amazing place to gain knowledge about planet Earth and the creatures and beings that inhabited it. He walked slowly over to the science section, running his fingers over the various book covers. Human's rather limited knowledge in the subject of science amused him, especially their limited knowledge of the cosmos. It was no wonder he had blended in so easily; most humans were simply so narrow-minded that they didn't believe there was any possible way for there to be aliens. He chuckled lowly. _How horribly wrong they are._

He stopped, and selected a book from the shelf. _The Facts of Life: Proof That the Supernatural and Extraterrestrial Simply Do Not Exist _read the title. Zim had read this book before, mostly due to the shock value of the title. Later, it had become a comedic read for him, especially considering the author was none other than his nemesis Dib's father, Professor Membrane. Amazing how a man who was so praised for his discoveries (which he rightfully deserved) could not see the truth. Reading the book had given him insight into what made Dib tick, however, as well as Gaz. Dib was stuck in the shadow of his father, and even if he were a genius, his mania and ego would always overshadow his intelligence. Gaz… well, she was a special case. She was pure, unadulterated genius. It was well known in the school she would graduate Suma Cum Laude and valedictorian of Hi Skool. Even Irken scientists would awe at her brilliance. All feats and tasks she undertook, she succeed in. Her physical ability and appearance matched her intelligence, stunning. She acknowledge the existence of other worldly forces, extraterrestrial and supernatural. Gaz herself, Zim had noted, possessed an other-worldliness about her. Something almost demonic. Movement ahead of him made Zim raise his head from the book. _Speak of the devil and she shall appear. _

The girl in question was two bookshelves down from him, browsing through the geology section, eyes narrowed in concentration as she scanned for the materials she needed. Zim observed her from where he stood, mentally taking notes. Science and observation had always come easily to him, thus why he had his highest grades in science courses. He watched the girl as a scientist would a test subject. The way her lips subtly moved as she muttered to herself, how her eyes lightened and darkened as she discovered what she needed and when she found something new. Her fingers danced over the shelves, nails delicately pulling books forth for her to place into her growing stack on the floor. Based on the books she was pulling, Zim could assume she was working on the end of course essay for Geological Studies. It seemed she had chosen the properties of meteorites as a main topic. The Irken smiled. He had done his over the weakness of the surface minerals of Earth the previous year. Anything involving space would have been to close for comfort to Zim. He knew enough about space; learning more about Earth had proven much more useful. Useful for what, he still had no idea. This thought quickly made his smile drop. His computer had not been entirely wrong. He wasn't in denial, by any means, but he had not actively tried any schemes or plans in a long time. Hell, he didn't _have _any new plans. He shook his head, moving his attention back to Gaz, who was briskly reading through one of the books she had picked out. Her fingers quickly, gently, turned the pages as she read. Her husky whisper lulled Zim's mind. His eyes wandered from her lips down to her neck. That neck that he had sunk his teeth into, had ran his tongue over in his dream…

He mentally kicked himself, and physically smacked himself in the face with the book. "Ow!" he exclaimed. This was no time for his late night fantasies to surface! "I must be losing my mind," he grumbled, placing the book back into its rightful place. He jerked to attention as he heard someone clear their throat. He looked back to his left, only to meet the fiery gaze of Gaz.

"You can't lose something you never had," she retorted. "And could you please keep it down? Some of us have papers we have to finish, and this damned library is barely sufficient to complete anything!" The wine haired young woman returned her gaze back to the scientific journal in her hands.

The Invader blinked once, twice. Then, as if possessed, he moved forward, closing the space between himself and the girl, the object of his nightly euphoria.

* * *

Gaz gripped the book harder as she forced her eyes to stay on the journal she was holding. She hadn't even realized Zim was standing there, mere feet away from her. Had she known, she wouldn't have been able to focus at all. She was having a hard enough time now that she knew he was there, especially as he continued to stare at her. She carefully closed the journal, placing it on the small stack of reading materials she had gathered. The comment of the library being insufficient had been a blatant lie; its selection rivalled that of a college's. Even if something were not there, she could even order it from the public or university's library, or just use the internet as many students did. Gaz pulled another book from the shelf, scanning the first few pages quickly, until she felt a presence uncomfortably close to hers. She looked up to see the disguised alien- or maybe _ailment _was a proper word- reading the pages along with her.

"Mr. Lonten allowed you to select meteorites, eh?" he grinned that sarcastic grin of his. "I didn't know that counted as geology." His warm breath tickled her ear and neck.

Gaz stared back at him, feeling the fire that always built inside her burn hotter. Desire was within the fire, but indignation and rage also built. How dare he question her subject choice? "If it is involving how the minerals and elements found on them are also found on Earth and how it could be evidence of other Earth-like planets, he will," came her cool reply. She knew Zim had taken the course the previous year; Mr. Lonten often spoke of how impressive the Irken had done, especially on his final essay. He should have been aware astronomy was an allowed subject for the end of course essay.

Zim laughed rather loudly. "'Earth-like planets'?" He cackled more. His laughter made the fire in her turn from an angry blaze to a glowing warmth. That crazy laugh of his always made her feel odd, almost giddy. Keeping her face blank, she asked, "What's so funny about that?"

The alien shook his head. "I hate to rain on your essay, little Gaz, but there are not planets like Earth. Yes, there were planets of very similar make up of Earth, but there are none that are exactly 'Earth-like'."

Her eyes widen a little. "What do you mean, 'were'?"

The alien paused, face becoming calm for a moment. Then, a very wicked grin appeared, and even from behind his contacts, an almost insane gleam shone through. The fire within her moved lower, and it took all her concentration to not let her cool mask become tainted with a blush.

"I say 'were', Gazlene, because all the planets that had an almost identical make up to Earth were destroyed."

The fire built back into a blaze, and the tone his voice had saying her proper name almost made her swoon. Almost.

The bell rang for next period, interrupting the conversation. Zim turned, still grinning. "See you in Health and Fitness, Gazlene."

She was left standing, stunned and flustered all at once, in the library. For some unholy reason, the thought of those planets being destroyed enticed her. Or, perhaps, it had been the sheer exhilaration and madness in Zim's voice when he had spoken. Either way, she didn't have a prayer of making it to class on time.


	4. Chapter 4

_Woo, long chapter. This was a bloody mother to write. Lot's of stuff happening. This is a little fluffier of a chapter, but a little fluff is necessary. This chapter was slightly rushed and just spur of the moment, and while I restarted it a couple times, I may do further editing later._

_ I have began designing new cover art for_ Glitch (_yeah, I have no life and draw this stuff, too), and I'll begin work on Chapter Five and post it ASAP. For now, time to enjoy this Florida weather! _

_Thank you for reading, and if you'd be so kind, leave a review!_

_~M_

* * *

The farther Zim walked from the library, the more reality crashed in on him. He had just shared the likely doom that awaited Earth to a human. Not any ordinary human, but still! FOOL! What have you done?! He inwardly screamed as he entered the classroom. Plunking down in his seat, he leaned on his left arm, his right hands secrets?! his inner invader ranting. Betraying his home, his peoplet high on the ladder among his people, a part of Zim still held loyalty to the bastards. However, his instinctual, more maniacal side was winning over the fight.

_You know why you did it. It was to see that look on her face. That one she always gets when you say something exciting… _In his mind's eye, the Irken saw Gaz's face again, the expression that had appeared there. Her petal lips had parted, eyebrows risen slightly, and her breath had hitched. Her eyes, however, were the clearest detail to him. Amber, liquid gold, had darkened, a mix of surprise, fear, and another emotion that stirred that feeling in him again.

_Lust. _

Zim, though he was not always the brightest person, was not blind to her recent behavior. The girl had become slightly less aggressive towards him, and more likely to sit nearer him. He caught her staring at him often, and when their eyes met, many words went between them, unsaid but known. After a few moment of contact, one or the other would look away, and a light blush would appear on her face. Zim himself did not truly blush, but he knew the feeling of warmth in his cheek. He had spent many evenings, while working through calculations or Hi Skool homework, pondering what had led to this tension. Of course he knew the biological factors; she was a maturing human female, likely already capable of bearing young. Her instincts, though diluted by higher consciousness, were to find a mate. However, why, out of all the choices available to her, had she chosen _him _for courtship? Or at least, that seemed what were intentions were. Zim growled quietly, leaning more heavily on his arm. He was clueless in the ways of courtship, even Irken courtship. Of course, he had watched it happen many a time, but he himself had never entered into the ritual. Not only was he too young at the time he had been on Irk, but his reputation and behavior made him a rather undesirable mate. Now, he on a foreign planet, and while he had watched human courtship since Mid Skool, it still confused him. Females would act interested one moment, then uninterested the next. The male students called it "playing hard to get." They always pursued males of similar social stature to them; nerds with nerds, jocks with jocks, so on. Gaz, however, had remained a mystery. Her nature drove most males away, and she had never showed interest in the rituals of "dating." Then, out of the blue, she began showing these intentions and wants to him, the alien sent to conquer her world and people. _Why me, when she could have her pick of any human male? Why would she-? _

The obnoxious ringing of the bell brought Zim out of his thoughts, and he realized that the girl in question had slid into a desk beside him. He eyed her, curious when she had arrived. Her chest was heaving slightly, and sweat slid down her brow. The stack of books and journals was sitting on the floor beside her; she had ran to class. He chuckled, drawing her attention.

"Hey, what's so funny?" she asked heatedly, eyes narrowing back to their characteristic slits, lips pursing slightly in a frown. His inside felt wobbly, looking at her. _Irk, she's beautiful. _

"Had I known you required assistance, I would have stayed." One of her eyebrows crooked up.

"I didn't need help," Gaz snapped. "I'm not a wimp like Dib." She reached into her satchel, withdrawing the class text book. "Besides," she hissed as the teacher began speaking, "I wouldn't have had to run if someone hadn't decided to be Mister Dramatic."

Zim guffawed, earning a glare from the teacher. Leaning slightly closer to the girl, he whispered, "It was not for shock value, Gazlene, it was a simple truth. I could easily enlighten you more about it later." Feeling bold, he reached his hand over and lightly placed his hand on her arm. "I believe there is much for us to discuss."

Zim watched her eyes lighten, the faint pink returning, and took note that she did not remove his hand. She met his gaze, unwavering. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk—"

"And now class!" interrupted the teacher, smacking a ruler against his desk. "As a requirement of Health and Fitness, we must discuss your wellbeing as wild little maggots. This, unfortunately, includes all the lovely miracles that are happening to your bodies and the disgusting things you will be doing with them." The teacher turned on the projector and turned back to the students. "This is Sex Ed day, people!"

Zim didn't look at Gaz, but he felt her tense up, and as the film started, he quickly withdrew his hand, the familiar heat returning strongly to his cheeks, and other regions.

After the class was over, and many students had either passed out, vomited, or gone into shock, those left ran from the classroom, some screaming. Zim and Gaz were the last to exit, both silent and feeling fairly awkward. "Well," Zim started, "I had hoped there would be slightly less tension between us when we talked." He looked down at Gaz, who met his gaze.

"I don't see why we can't still talk. You can explain what you meant when you said you would 'enlighten me'." _There's more than that we need to talk about, _her eyes spoke.

"It is quite simple to explain, really. Even a human mind can grasp it." _There is, but is now the time?_

She nodded, answering both his statements. They began to slowly walk through the halls, which were quickly emptying as the final bell rang. "School isn't the best place, though."

"Hmmm this is very true," Zim muttered. An idea popped into his mind. A dangerous one, but better than nothing. "You could come to my base, er, house, later. That would be quieter, and more secluded…" he trailed off, turning to face her. She stood, looking up at him. He hadn't realized quite the difference in their height until then. She was hardly over five feet four inches, by his estimate. He was pulled out of his thoughts once more when he felt a feather light touch on his arm.

"That… doesn't sound horrible." Her voice trembled slightly, losing its dark tone for a moment. He felt his chest tighten. Something in those eyes of hers…. They were enticing, entrancing. His body moved of its own accord, stepping forward. She stepped back in response, bumping into the wall. He closed the gap between them, and stood nearly chest to chest with the girl. His gloved hand went up to her skull necklace, idly playing with the pendant. "I'll see you at around five o'clock, then?" His eyes narrowed slightly as she swallowed.

"Or I could just go with you now."

That wasn't a reply he was expecting. Still, it sent an excited shiver through him. The Irkens gaze wandered down to her petal pink lips. Kissing, that ritual that had always fascinated him, popped back into his head once more. He looked in her eyes once more. _Is this really what you want? _

Her eyes narrowed, a fire burning deep in her irises. Those lips parted slightly. _Yes._

Before he could change his mind, the invader leaned down, and pressed his green lips against the girl's. He felt her breath stop for a moment, her eyes widening, then watched as her long lashes fluttered shut. Gaz's arms tentatively wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. This pull made them move ever closer to the wall, and Zim placed his arms on either side of her head, balancing himself. He withdrew, then placed his lips back against hers, watching through half-lidded eyes. It was an odd sensation, being so close physically to another being. He could feel her breath and lashes brush against his face, her hands grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, her chest against his. He tentatively ran his tongue across her lips, and was surprised when she parted them further, allowing him entrance.

For a moment, there was pain, burning from the water in her body. Then, ecstasy.

* * *

Dib watched the scene play out, stomach rolling with anger and disgust. His enemy, the alien he had been opposing, chasing, fighting for years, had his little sister against a wall, lips to lips, chest to chest. Even worse, she was quite obviously enjoying it. Her cheeks were flushed red, hands gripping his shirt until her knuckles were white (whiter than normal). The teen felt his hand clench into a fist, teeth gritting together. _Oh, don't think you'll get away with this, Zim, _he thought maliciously as he watched the pair begin to untangle from their embrace. _You won't get away with this. _ The investigator turned quickly, trench coat whipping behind him like a cape, his mind turning to cold, calculating fury.

* * *

Gaz was stunned. Not in the horrified way, but in the pure bliss way. The awkwardness of sitting through a film solely about sex next to the one being she lusted after had quickly left the more they spoken and completely vanished the moment his lips met hers. The fire inside her swelled, growing hotter and hotter each moment his lips stayed on hers. When she felt his tongue on her lips, asking permission, then as it began running itself over her own, she thought would explode or melt or simply turn to dust. It was an odd feeling, his tongue. She had kissed before, an unfortunate experience that ended up being more messy than sensual. Compared to a human tongue, his was softer, more dexterous, and clearly longer and more pointed. She cautiously returned the kiss, aware when he winced, and when she believed she really would pass out, he withdrew slowly, breaking the contact. Gaz opened her eyes, hoping her disappointment wouldn't show. His expression was almost unreadable (she'd realized long ago that the Irken apparently had no blush), save the dull glimmer in his eyes. She knew they were contacts; his natural eyes were large orbs of red and pink swirled. Gaz preferred those eyes much more. Slowly, a grin formed on his face. Not the sarcastic, egotistical one he so often wore, but a genuine smile.

She felt the edges of her own mouth pull up, a shocking sight for anyone who may happen to have seen it. Thankfully, the hallway was seemingly empty. "Well," she hated how breathy her voice seemed, "shall we be going?" The Irken's smile widened and he nodded. Zim stepped back letting her move from the wall, but staying close. As the duo began to head to the exit once more, she felt his long gloved fingers reach tentatively for hers, lacing them together. Her heart soared, a new feeling for the dark natured girl, and she squeezed his hand lightly in return. Stepping through the doors and proceeding down the stairs and in the direction of Zim's base- house-, Gaz was aware of the stares, and heard Keef yell, "LOOK! ZIM has a girlfriend, and it's GAZ!" This made her eyes narrow. First off, Keef had always been a thorn in her side. His nosy ways and loud voice annoyed her. Secondly… She glanced back at Zim. She had no idea what this situation was. She quickly tossed the pessimistic thoughts aside, and simply reveled in the feeling of walking down the street, hand in hand with the person- alien?- who she had been yearning for for months' company. She realized as they walked Zim was staying silent. "Uh, Zim?" He looked at her, questioning look on his face. "Is something wrong? You stopped talking… Which you rarely do." She was surprised by the barking laugh that escaped his lips, and even more surprised when he let his tongue loll out of his mouth.

First there was the simple shock of how long his tongue was. It was ridiculous, almost like a giraffe's tongue, only shaped more like a reptiles. Second was the blisters that covered the surface of it, almost as if he had placed his tongue against something hot…

Realization smacked her in the face. The alien was allergic to water! Of course his tongue was blistered from being in contact with hers, and why he was so silent. "You knew that would happen," she said quietly. "So why did you do that?"

The alien's nonchalant shrug surprised her. "Uh momen' o' paii ith woofth du wuwawd. Eh will heal shoon unougth." They continued walking, and a couple blocks later, Zim turned and stuck his tongue out again. The blisters were mostly gone, or nearly healed. At her expression, he grinned. "I told you. We Irkens heal faster than humans. Now, let us get to the base; those clouds trouble me."

When they reached the house-base thingy, Gaz's insecurity and suspicion kicked in. What was she doing? Sure, she'd known Zim for years, but what was to say he wouldn't randomly turn on her, capture her and use him for whatever dastardly plot he may have. She mentally punched herself for that thought, which sounded _entirely _too Dib-like. She realized she had hesitated at the gateway leading into the yard, as Zim squeezed her hand. She looked up at him, seeing amusement in his smirk and eyes. "I promise, I am not leading you here for anything harmful." He slipped an arm around her waist, and led her up to the door slowly. "I said I wished to talk and discuss with you, and Zim is not one to go back on his word often." The _often_ worried her a little, but allowed herself to be lead through the doorway, only to be greeted by a flurry of confetti.

"WEEEEEE! HI, SCARY LADY!" Gir promptly leapt onto Gaz, placing his feet on her chest, holding her shoulders to remain stable. "Where's big head?" The girl couldn't contain the giggle that erupt from her at her brother's old nickname. Soon, the robot was whisked away from her, Zim holding him firmly.

"GIR! Do not leap on the guests as if they are furniture!" Gaz laughed harder as the alien's old speech pattern emerged when he was flustered. As the robot and his master continued to struggle, Gaz surveyed the room. It had changed little over the years, save for more furniture and a nicer TV. Besides only a couch, there was a recliner, coffee table, and a small duvet. All were red, and covered in patches. Gaz had realized over the years how rowdy Zim's robot companion could be, and was not surprised that the items had been repaired several times.

"GO DOWN AND THINK ABOUT YOUR EXISTANCE, GIR!" Gaz blinked as Zim threw the robot into an elevator and closed it, ignoring his wails. The alien sighed, pulling off his wig and removing his contacts. "Sorry about that. Gir gets antsy a lot, since I don't allow him out much." He looked at her with those round red eyes, bright and expressive. "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the kitchen. She nodded, walking towards the doorway. All her worry washed away as the alien stopped her, and placed his lips softly on her forehead. "I would never intentionally harm you, Gazlene. Do not worry."


	5. Chapter 5

Dib kicked the door of his base open, cringing as it knocked over a stand covered in paperwork and photographs. He stared at it for a moment, considered screaming, settling to sigh and shrug. "I'll pick it up later," he muttered aloud. He closed the door with equal gumption, cringing again as more papers fell. "Gosh dammit!" he screamed, giving in and scrambling to reorganize the clutter. As he sorted them- Bigfoot here, Nessie there, Mothman and Jersey Devil in that folder- he paused when he came upon an old photo. It was from Elementary Skool, and front and center was Zim, that usual smirk on his face. Zim, who had been the bane of his existance for years now. Zim, who had always somehow gotten away with his flawed schemes, and somehow kept everyone from knowing he was an alien, no matter how OBVIOUS it was.

Zim, who had had his sister pinned to the wall, gloved claws digging into the wall, snake tongue slipping past Gaz's pale lips...  
Dib fought the urge to vomit, as the rage and disgust built in him again. He had seen it- oh yes, I saw it , he thought bitterly. "Every damn minute of it. How _dare_ that _alien_ so much as look at my sister, let alone _deflower_ her..." His word choice made him pause, balk, and quickly find a trashcan. After upheaving what little food he had on his stomach, he leaned his forehead against a counter. The thought of Gaz and Zim doing THAT... He couldn't bare to humor it. He stood and went to his chair, plopping down in it. The multiple screens roared to life at the press of a button, a chatroom site instantly coming up. He clicked on one, and rapidly began typing.

**agent_MOTH: You won't belive what happend!**  
**Yetimeister202: Wat?!**  
**agent_MOTH: the alien had the NERVE to kiss my sister!**  
**Miss_Vampy: NOOOO**  
**Yetimeister202: Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!1?1?!**  
**Thylo_yoyo: the invasion has begun!**

The replies kept rolling in. He felt no gratification, however. No matter what these strangers, all followers of his blog on Mysterious Mysteries website, none could alleviate the rage.  
The computer chimed once more, and as Dib looked, the words caught his eye, making him read it fully.

T**aker_and_Reaper: It is a shame you do not have someone who could match- nay, exceed his technology, and rid you of his parasitic existance.**

Dib's brown eyes narrowed, and he clicked to start a private chat session.

**agent_MOTH: How do you know about his technology? I don't recognise your username as one of the regulars.**  
**Taker_and_Reaper: It doesn't matter. What would you be willing to do to erase him?**

The teen paused. Eighteen years of life behind him, and so many more ahead. What would he give up to get rid of the alien? He thought of his sister, his one redemption, even if it was small. He'd looked out for her all those years, even when she'd tormented and beaten him half to death. It was his job, with their dad gone and mom... well, they didn't even know if mom was real.

**agent_MOTH: anything**

A pause. A minute passed. Two. Three. Dib's lung ached, and he exhaled heavily when the chime went off, realizing he'd been holding his breath.

**Taker_and_Reaper: Excellent. Allow two months time for the preparations, and this glitch will be eradicated.**

Dib sneered, his anger seeping out.

**agent_MOTH: Finally**  
**Taker_and_Reaper: Just remember, Dib. The enemy of your enemy is a friend.**

The last words made his rationality gnaw at the back of his mind, but his madness had taken over. Soon, he would be rid of Zim. Soon.

* * *

Purple eyes narrowed at the screen as the female Irken watched the Dib-human's icon go dark, showing he had signed off. It had been simply, even from so far away, to pick up on and hack into the human's computer network. Tak was smart, and had learned her lesson the last time; she would need help to take care of the idiot who had ruined her life. Who better than the one other being who Zim had equally tormented?

A wicked grin graced her lips, and closed the screen. Raising her hand to switch the power back up to max, she winced. There were new wounds for which Zim had to pay now. In a month's time, she would arrive back on Earth, then the next month would be spent training her new partner.  
"Mimi!" she barked, and the SIR appeared, saluting with her remaining arm. "Prepare for our landing; we may still have a great distance to cover, but that does not mean we can't cover all our bases a few times. The robot zipped off to the back of the cruiser, leaving Tak alone, staring at the twinkling void.

* * *

_This chapter gave me a lot of difficulty to write, thus the delay. It is also much shorter. Took forever for my muse to cough up this hairball. What is now the outline for Chapter Six was the original Chapter Five. I thought it would be wise to start setting up the conflict, and developing our two "villians". I use the term loosely, as there are many plot twists to come._

_At this point, I find it wise to remind everyone this is a MATURE fanfic (18+). If you wish to continue reading, that is fine, but in chapters to come, the content will get more mature. Just warning you._

_Thank you for reading, and I hope to have the next chapter up soon._


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